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Addicted Gamers Succumb To Cybercafe Thefts

Posted by simoniker on from the only-looking-at-the-shiny-graphics dept.

Thanks to the Hong Kong Standard for their story discussing a sharp rise in petty theft from Hong Kong video game centers, a statistic they blame on addicted gamers losing track of their real-life possessions in a gaming swirl. According to Connitta Chau, New Territories South Crime Prevention Officer, "Players are often distracted when they play video games. Many customers put their phones on tables or computers", making them prime targets for having items stolen. She further revealed that "Thieves sometimes talked victims into letting them borrow their mobile phones and simply walked away with the handset." Do players need a purse or handbag to put their valuables in, or is there no way to cure the distracted real-life state of an avid gamer?

8 of 47 comments (clear)

  1. heh by syrinx · · Score: 5, Funny

    People are stupid, details at 11.

    --
    Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
    1. Re:heh by Captain+Pedantic · · Score: 4, Funny

      I agree, although gamers in japan must be particularly stupid or trustworthy..

      Well, Americans must be pretty stupid if they think that Hong Kong is in Japan.

      --

      None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
  2. Maybe I am rich or something by Morgahastu · · Score: 2, Funny

    but my pants have pockets.

  3. Must.. keep.. focus.. by Thyamine · · Score: 4, Funny

    I don't know how long it took exactly, but my wife learned long ago that I'm useless when I'm in the midst of gaming. She even got to the point where she warned her family about leaving messages with me since, when she's not home I'm 90% of the time on the computer.

    They got to view it first hand when her mother stopped by to go shopping and I was in the midst of an EQ binge. Her mother politely tried to make conversation while my wife finished up, and it went something like this:

    Mother-in-Law: What are you doing? Is this that computer game?
    Me: Yes.... uh... yes it is.
    Her: (nods) Why is that woman screaming?
    Me: Because I'm killing her.
    Her: Oh... what are you doing now?
    Me: I'm looting her corpse.

    --
    I will shred my adversaries. Pull their eyes out just enough to turn them towards their mewing, mutilated faces. Illyria
  4. Yes, bags will save the day... by WoTG · · Score: 2, Funny
    Do players need a purse or handbag to put their valuables in, or is there no way to cure the distracted real-life state of an avid gamer?
    Well d'uh. If you're going to let thieves simply pick up your stuff from the PC beside you, you might as well provide a nice bag for them to put it all in.
  5. D'oh! by ChibiTaryn · · Score: 2, Funny

    Us chicks already get the short straw there -- handbags.

    Phone, PDA, wallet, usually odd pieces of jewellery, chequebook.... in mine there's even sometimes a digital camera. All in a nice handy carry-bag, ready-to-go.

    They really need to start putting pockets in women's clothing!

  6. Re:LAN Parties by bedessen · · Score: 2, Funny

    Or, you could just get some friends that aren't out to steal your shit. :-)

  7. An accurate reference to theft for once! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Is this a slashdot first? A news item about theft that is actually about theft?

    Too often, there are items about "theft" which are really about copyright infringement instead.